Hunting might give you a heart attack

[gmichael]

I'd just like to throw out three thoughts (that aren't groundbreaking):

1) What is obvious to some is not always obvious to all

"

I guess that's why the manual to my JVC DVR starts with the same first step for every operation. "Turn on power."

 

[gmichael]

The coffee was extremely hot, much much hotter than it should have been - 185 degrees, a temperature which is "unfit for human consumption" according to McDonald's and is hot enough to cause full-thickness (3rd degree) skin burns in as little as two seconds. Their justification was that people buy coffee intending to consume it later, at home or at the office, despite the fact that their own research indicated otherwise. If the coffee had been at a temperature that was fit for consumption, she wouldn't have had 6% of her skin literally burned and destroyed all the way through.

The woman attempted to settle with McDonald's for just medical costs of $20,000, but they would only go as high as $800.

The *jury* awarded her $200,000 compensatory damages and then decided another $2.7 million in punitive damages to punish McDonald's. The judge reduced the total to $640,000, but on appeal the woman agreed to settle for a currently undisclosed amount of less than $600,000.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonald's_coffee_case
http://www.centerjd.org/free/mythbusters-free/MB_mcdonalds.htm
http://www.atla.org/PressRoom/FACTS/frivolous/McdonaldsCoffeecase.aspx

Back in the old days, we used to boil water to make coffee. I believe that's 212 degrees. 185 seems a little chilly in comparison. The trick is, to let it cool a little before you pour it in your mouth (and/or) crotch.

 

[Adam]

I guess that's why the manual to my JVC DVR starts with the same first step for every operation. "Turn on power."

Indeed! If people here ever tried talking their parents (or anyone, really) through some "new" technology, it probably became very clear how things aren't obvious to everyone! Just cruise these forums. Of course the red/white RCA plugs go into those two jacks, so why do people keep asking? Because we all need to learn.

 

[mikeyj92]

Back in the old days, we used to boil water to make coffee. I believe that's 212 degrees. 185 seems a little chilly in comparison. The trick is, to let it cool a little before you pour it in your mouth (and/or) crotch.

Good point...the old percolating pots (I still use one when I go to our cabin up in the middle of nowhere on a little lake with no electricity) essentially are boiling water, no? I don't think there is a warning on any of those pots...maybe I should try to get funding for a study to confrim the coffee is really hot when made in an old percolating pot...

 

[avaserfi]

I guess that's why the manual to my JVC DVR starts with the same first step for every operation. "Turn on power."

I had a friend who's parents had just purchased an RV with a TV with a "HT" in it. He came over one day and hooked up his ps3 to the receiver which was somehow integrated to the TV. After they were all done camping he left and unhooked everything telling his parents that he set it all up the way he left it. The next day he gets a call saying nothing is working and they need him to drive home, 3 hours, to fix it. He goes home looks at the system and hits the power button...magically it all worked. Apparently his parents thought that because a light on the receiver was on the unit was on when in reality the light was showing that the system was in standby. So yes that is an important step in the process .

 

[mikeyj92]

Indeed! If people here ever tried talking their parents (or anyone, really) through some "new" technology, it probably became very clear how things aren't obvious to everyone! Just cruise these forums. Of course the red/white RCA plugs go into those two jacks, so why do people keep asking? Because we all need to learn.

I would like to think that hooking up even simple equipment isn't as common of knowledge of coffee being hot or physical activity being risky for the heart-unhealthy-folk out there...

If you start dumbing everything down to allow for the lowest common denominator to survive, doesn't that force the over gene pool to be diluted with stupidity while stifling those with average or higher intelligence, thus actually taking a step backwards from evolution? Overdramatic as this may sound, I don't think taking all the "bumps out of the road" is good for the continuation of a thriving humankind.

 

[gmichael]

Good point...the old percolating pots (I still use one when I go to our cabin up in the middle of nowhere on a little lake with no electricity) essentially are boiling water, no? I don't think there is a warning on any of those pots...maybe I should try to get funding for a study to confrim the coffee is really hot when made in an old percolating pot...

Might be a quick study.

Hot coffee pots found to cause bad oder.

"10 out of the first 10 people who picked up a metal coffee pot, that was boiling water, burnt their hands when not using gloves. The smell of the burnt skin caused scientists to stop this study on the first day of testing. A second study will be done after gloves have been issued to all participants."

 

[avaserfi]

If you start dumbing everything down to allow for the lowest common denominator to survive, doesn't that force the over gene pool to be diluted with stupidity while stifling those with average or higher intelligence, thus actually taking a step backwards from evolution? Overdramatic as this may sound, I don't think taking all the "bumps out of the road" is good for the continuation of a thriving humankind.

Sounds like you should check out Idiocracy its a comedy about this very situation happening by Mike Judge of Office Space.

 

[Adam]

I would like to think that hooking up even simple equipment isn't as common of knowledge of coffee being hot or physical activity being risky for the heart-unhealthy-folk out there...

If you start dumbing everything down to allow for the lowest common denominator to survive, doesn't that force the over gene pool to be diluted with stupidity while stifling those with average or higher intelligence, thus actually taking a step backwards from evolution? Overdramatic as this may sound, I don't think taking all the "bumps out of the road" is good for the continuation of a thriving humankind.

Try to not mistake knowledge for intelligence, or intelligence for worth.

"Common" knowledge is generally not as common as we assume. For example, something that might be very well known to everyone in a localized area may be completely unknown to people who visit there from other locations.

 

[Tomorrow]

Back in the old days, we used to boil water to make coffee. I believe that's 212 degrees. 185 seems a little chilly in comparison. The trick is, to let it cool a little before you pour it in your mouth (and/or) crotch.

Come to think of it....why don't the McD cups now have emblazoned in bold, bright lettering.... "DON'T HOLD BETWEEN YOUR LEGS AT THE CROTCH"?! They're just opening themselves up to another baloney lawsuit without this disclaimer/warning.

Perhaps we need a study and report on the effects of hot liquid in cardboard cups held by the thighs.

If stuff like this is not common sense to all...well...then those who don't understand are not capable of reading and learning from the reports, either.

 

[jonnythan]

Come to think of it....why don't the McD cups now have emblazoned in bold, bright lettering.... "DON'T HOLD BETWEEN YOUR LEGS AT THE CROTCH"?! They're just opening themselves up to another baloney lawsuit without this disclaimer/warning.

Perhaps we need a study and report on the effects of hot liquid in cardboard cups held by the thighs.

If stuff like this is not common sense to all...well...then those who don't understand are not capable of reading and learning from the reports, either.

Because the coffee they serve now isn't capable of causing 3rd degree burns within 2 seconds of skin contact, maybe?

 

[matto1985]

While I do agree with Adam that sometimes things that are accepted as common knowledge are not correct and thus warrant investigation, I have to side with everyone who says these studies are stupid. It seems like all they are good for is reassure what we already know. Either that or so somewhere down the line one person can say "See, I told you that was bad for you".

Personally I think studies like these are a waste and I am sure money could be better spent on something else. But hey, what do I know? I'm not a doctor.

 

[gmichael]

I am sure money could be better spent on something else..

I agree. They could be buying me a whole new HT system with Blu-ray, 1080p projection, McIntos amps, and Apogee speakers. I'll be glad to explain to everyone that if they jump off a bridge, they could get hurt.